Pair of symmetrical, revolving, dihedral, semi-permeable aerodynamic devices

ABSTRACT

A system using pairs of symmetrical aerodynamic devices ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) that affects the axial, the lateral response and handling of road vehicles. The symmetrical, dihedral revolving surfaces are controlled in an active and adaptive way, and are deployed independently, or in tandem, as a result of the drivers&#39; control inputs (steering and braking), affecting the formation of the trailing vortices generated by the vehicle. 
     Depending on the rotation of the devices, about axes ( 16 ) and ( 17 ), the concave and/or the convex sides of the aerodynamic surfaces, which are created by the dihedral angle ( 9 ), are exposed to the on-coming air flow. Their angular positioning, their orientation, and the semi-permeable condition of their central cavities ( 13 ), via the central cavity relief openings ( 11 ) and holes ( 14 ), determine the generation of drag and side forces differentially, by affecting the formation of the trailing vortices, and thus affecting the vehicles&#39; handling.

The present invention relates to a pair of symmetrical aerodynamicdevices for use in vehicles, especially a motor vehicle, such as a car.

The existing variable-geometry aerodynamic devices, used in roadvehicles, act as reaction surfaces. These devices usually are deployedby rotation about a horizontal axis, interfering with the free-stream,acting as an air-brake or a Boundary Layer spoiler.

With the present innovation a pair of symmetrical variable-geometryaerodynamic devices, act not only as reaction surfaces to induce a dragforce, but as a mechanism to act on the trailing vortices of the roadvehicle. In this way, the aerodynamic input generated due to thedeployment, and the active control of the devices, affect the axial andthe lateral response and the handling of the vehicle, as well as thetotal drag and side forces induced. This is achieved by the differentialdeployment of the two aerodynamic devices, that can be rotatedindependently, or in tandem, acting on and affecting the formation ofthe trailing vortices on the two sides of the vehicle.

According to the invention, this objective is achieved by the movement,in the form of rotation, of the two symmetrical, revolving, dihedral,semi-permeable devices, as defined in independent claim 1. The dependentclaims define preferred embodiments of the invention.

Each of the two devices have a concave and a convex side. Prior todeployment, the devices are positioned symmetrically, with their concavesurfaces opposed, facing each other, and their convex surfaces facingoutwards on each side of the vehicle.

According to a preferred embodiment, the set of the two symmetricalaerodynamic devices have such a shape, so that their independentrotation can induce a higher drag force on the one side of the vehicle,when the concave surface of the one device is exposed to the on-comingair-flow, and a lower drag force on the other side, when the convexsurface of the other device, is exposed to the on-coming air-flow.

In the following, a preferred embodiment of the invention will bediscussed in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The invention will be made conceivable with reference to the designsthat accompany the present description, in which certain proposedindustrial applications of the invention are shown.

Referring to FIG. 1, the pair of the aerodynamic devices is shown, inthe low-drag position. The pair shown is located at the tail section ofa car. The aerodynamic devices before deployment, rest at their originalposition of symmetry, about the centre plane of the vehicle.

In FIG. 2, the two aerodynamic surfaces of the devices are shown in somedetail. The axes of rotation of the two devices are also shown.

In FIG. 3, the moving and stationary parts of the devices are shown.

FIG. 4, shows the left aerodynamic device that has been deployed, whilethe right device remains in its original position. The left device hasbeen rotated clock-wise.

In FIG. 5, the left aerodynamic device has been rotated by 90 degrees,while the right remains facing forward. The left surface is at rightangles to the free stream.

In FIG. 6, a vehicle is shown with a pair of symmetrical aerodynamicdevices fitted at its tail section. The two devices have beendifferentially rotated. The left has been rotated by 90 degrees,following the flow, (exposing its convex surface to the air-flow), whilethe right has been counter-rotated, opposing the aerodynamic flow,(exposing its concave surface to the air-flow).

In FIG. 7, (which is as FIG. 6, using a different perspective), theaerodynamic devices, fitted at the tail section of a vehicle, have beendeployed and have been rotated through their respective angles ofrotation, cause a right rotation on the vehicle.

FIG. 8 shows a pair of devices fitted on the upper front section of avehicle.

In FIG. 9 the sequence of the independent rotation of the symmetricalaerodynamic devices is shown.

FIG. 1-FIG. 9 show a preferred embodiment of the invention. While thisparticular embodiment will be described in detail below, severalmodifications will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, sothat the invention shall not be interpreted in a limited manner,referring to the description and the drawings. Rather the invention isdefined by the appended claims.

Referring to a selected indicative example of industrial application ofthe invention, a number of the main sections and components of thedevices are listed below. More specifically, the basic parts of theinvention are the following:

-   1. left aerodynamic device,-   2. right aerodynamic device,-   3. vehicle,-   4. base of the aerodynamic device,-   5. control mechanism for rotation,-   6. support module of the control mechanism,-   7. support and connecting structure,-   8. leading edge profiling of the aerodynamic surface,-   9. dihedral angle,-   10. top end profile,-   11. central cavity section relief opening,-   12. trailing edge profiling,-   13. central cavity section contouring,-   14. variable permeability holes,-   15. lower end profiling of the leading edge,-   16. axis of rotation of the left aerodynamic device,-   17. axis of rotation of the right aerodynamic device.

In FIGS. 1-9, reference numeral 1 designated the left aerodynamic devicefitted on a vehicle (3). The left aerodynamic device (1), is based ontoa base (4), controlled via a control mechanism (5), which is supportedthrough the support module (6), and is connected to its symmetricalaerodynamic device (2), via the support structure (7). See FIG. 3.

Each aerodynamic device can move, either independently, or in tandemwith the other, and features a central cavity section (13) contouring.This concave surface is created due to the dihedral angle (9), thatsplits the aerodynamic surface into the upper and the lower sections,resembling a base-ball glove. (See FIG. 2). The corresponding convexsurface on the other side, allows the flow of air through the variablepermeability holes (14), and the central cavity relief opening (11),which is served by a butterfly orifice. See FIG. 2

According to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawing, (FIG. 4),the rotation of the left device (1), about an axis (16), through anangle of 90 degrees (FIG. 5), causes the flow of air over the leftdevice (1), while the exposed concave surface of the right device (2),concentrates the flow onto the concave section. (See FIG. 6).

The conditions shown in FIG. 7, result in the differential generation ofdrag and lateral forces that cause the vehicle (3) to rotate to theright.

The control inputs of the driver, with respect to steering and braking,are processed running active-adaptive control routines, to activate therotations of the two devices (1) and (2).

The aspects of the profiling of the aerodynamic devices (1) and (2), asa result of the leading edge profiling (8), trailing edge profiling(12), top end profiling (10), lower end profiling of the leading edge(15), and the dihedral angle (9), determine the effect on the formationof the trailing vortices generated, and subsequently, the differentiallateral and drag forces generated on the vehicle, when the devicesrotate about their respective axes (16) and (17).

The sequence by which a pair of devices fitted at the tail section ofthe vehicle are independently rotated, to introduce a rotational inputtowards the right on the vehicle, is shown on FIG. 9.

Alternatively, the two symmetrical devices could work as a air-brake, ifboth devices expose their concave surfaces to the on-coming flow.

FIG. 8 shows an alternative position of a pair of symmetrical devices(1) and (2) of smaller size, fitted on the front section of a car.

1. A pair of symmetrical, revolving, dihedral, semi-permeableaerodynamic devices, comprising one left such device (1), featuring acentral cavity section (13), leading edge profiling (8), trailing edgeprofiling (12), top end profiling (10), lower end profiling of theleading edge (15), dihedral angle (9), central cavity section reliefopening (11), variable permeability holes (14), and is based on a base(4), which can rotate about an axis of rotation (16), via a controlmechanism (5), which is supported through the support module (6), whichis capable to move independently of, or in tandem with, one right suchdevice (2), (which is symmetrical to the left device (1)), and which canrotate about an axis of rotation (17), and is connected via a supportstructure (7). The aerodynamic devices depending on their size and formare fitted on the vehicle in any position determined by the aerodynamiceffectiveness of the devices. The devices (1),(2) can rotate clock-wiseas well as counter-clock-wise, independently, or in tandem. The dihedralangle (9), effectively splits each aerodynamic device into an upper anda lower section, and forms the central cavity section (13), whichresembles a base-ball glove, which has a concave (inner) and a convex(outer) surface, due to the contouring of the inner and outer surfaces.2. The pair of symmetrical, revolving, dihedral, semi-permeableaerodynamic devices, comprising one left such device (1) and one rightsuch device (2), according to claim 1, that is assisted by additionalpairs of various sizes, fitted in other positions on the externalsurface of the vehicle.
 3. The pair of symmetrical, revolving, dihedral,semi-permeable aerodynamic devices, comprising one left such device (1)and one right such device (2), according to claims 1 and 2, wherein thedevices are used in tandem as an air-brake, when their concave sidesface the on-coming air flow.
 4. The pair of symmetrical, revolving,dihedral, semi-permeable aerodynamic devices, comprising one left suchdevice (1) and one right such device (2), according to claims 1 and 2,wherein the devices are used independently with one device exposing itsconcave surface to the on-coming flow, while the other (symmetricaldevice) exposes its convex surface to the on-coming flow, thusintroducing a braking as well as a turning input on the vehicle, thusaffecting the axial, the lateral response and the handling of thevehicle.
 5. The pair of symmetrical, revolving, dihedral, semi-permeableaerodynamic devices, comprising one left such device (1) and one rightsuch device (2), according to the preceding claims, wherein each centralcavity relief opening (11) is released, opened and closed independently.6. The pair of symmetrical, revolving, dihedral, semi-permeableaerodynamic devices, comprising one left such device (1) and one rightsuch device (2), according to the preceding claims, wherein the pressureat the central cavity section (13), is controlled by varying thevariable permeability holes (14), and is further adjusted at the centralcavity relief opening (11), with a butterfly orifice, or equivalentopening, by means of mechanical, electromechanical or other means.Alternatively, the pressure at the central cavity section (13), isadjusted by means of elastic semi-permeable membrane.
 7. The pair ofsymmetrical, revolving, dihedral, semi-permeable aerodynamic devices,comprising one left such device (1) and one right such device (2),according to the preceding claims, wherein the central cavity section(13) features a blowing/suction arrangement to assist the pressureregulation of the holes (14).
 8. The pair of symmetrical, revolving,dihedral, semi-permeable aerodynamic devices, comprising one left suchdevice (1) and one right such device (2), according to the precedingclaims, wherein the revolving motion of the devices which is performedin an active and adaptive manner, either moved independently or intandem, act on and affect the formation of the trailing vorticesgenerated at the sides of the vehicle. In that way the drag and lateralforces acting on the vehicle are affected differentially by the actionof the devices, thus, the total and differential drag and side forcesaffect the axial and directional lateral response and handling of thevehicle. The control inputs of the driver, with respect to steering andbraking, are processed running active-adaptive control routines, toactivate the rotations of the two devices (1) and (2).
 9. A vehiclecomprising several sets of symmetrical aerodynamic devices according toany one of the preceding claims 1-8.